After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 36

Joseph and I started dating, but our demanding jobs meant we rarely had time to see each other.

Most of our encounters took place in war-torn regions-he'd be rushing to treat the wounded, while I'd be in the operating room, fighting to save lives.

A fleeting touch as we brushed past each other was often the only connection we shared.

The patchy network signal didn't help either. Days would pass without hearing from each other, but then, out of nowhere, my phone would buzz nonstop as messages flooded in. They were disorganized, chaotic, as if they too had braved gunfire and destruction, but they carried the weight of longing and steadfast affection.

The situation in North Kivu grew increasingly dire.

Our first argument happened on the day a village near Goma was attacked.

When we arrived, the armed militants hadn't fully retreated, and the security forces were still exchanging fire with them.

We rushed back to the vehicle, preparing to evacuate, but Joseph suddenly jumped out of the ambulance.

There, at the edge of the battlefield, lay a collapsed villager.

Joseph hoisted the man onto his back and carried him to safety, his own body cut and bleeding from shrapnel.

I was furious and terrified, yelling at him, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

But he stood his ground. "I'm a doctor! I couldn't just leave him there! His leg was injured, but he could've survived. If I didn't save him, he would've died for sure!"

I knew he was right, and I knew it was his duty to save lives.

I couldn't tell

through a frantic examination and realizing his injuries were only superficial, I broke down,

can't lose anyone else! If something happened to

there silently for a moment before wrapping his arms around me,

sorry... I promise I'll be more careful. I won't put myself in danger, and I won't make you worry

in his chest. "You have

pinky swear," he said,

breaks it will turn into

my tears. "If

you

puppy boyfriend?" he teased,

He lay still, pretending to be dead. Panicked, I quickly pulled the pillow

seemed to say: See? I'm not that easy to

my eyes stung and

that moment, I realized how precious every single day

the Ebola virus began its relentless assault

of medical staff,

groups launched sudden attacks on treatment centers in several cities. Many doctors

remained in the center. If everyone left,

other doctors decided to stay and adapt to the situation as it

of Goma, cutting off all routes in and out.

to come to

that had been temporarily cleared out, I saw a